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Alexander McQueen: New Death Details, Tributes

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New details are emerging about the death of Alexander McQueen, who was discovered Thursday at his London home, while stars like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Courtney Love, Billy Corgan, and Pete Wentz pay tribute to late fashion icon.

According to UK paper the Daily Mail, McQueen committed suicide just one day before the funeral for his mother, Joyce, who died last week. The UK’s Sun adds that McQueen was discovered hanged. [Via AP]

Sources say that McQueen, whose body was discovered by his house cleaner, was very close to his mother and had locked himself away, refusing to leave his bed since her death. Her funeral will be held today in London, as originally scheduled.

“He couldn’t cope,” a friend of McQueen’s told the Daily Mail. “He was so upset about his mother. It was her funeral tomorrow and he couldn’t face it.”

McQueen’s death at age 40 comes three years after his close friend Isabella Blow — the fashion director of Tatler magazine who helped launch his career — killed herself in May 2007 after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

One of McQueen’s lines, McQ, was scheduled to be shown at New York Fashion Week Thursday, but the show was cancelled.

Following McQueen’s death, many musicians and celebrities headed online to pay tribute to the fashion bad boy, including Lady Gaga, who posted a photo of her and McQueen embracing. See the photo above, or on her Twitter.Read more tributes below.

Courtney Love:
“Poor Lee McQueen. I really tried to help him long ago. I feel really bad. I found a pair of tights today and they were Lee’s, I felt morbid.” [Twitter]

Katy Perry:
Rest In Peace Alexander McQueen… so sad. ? [Twitter]

Billy Corgan:
R.I.P. Alexander McQueen, a beautiful soul and a genius at so many things. [Twitter]

Pete Wentz:
“I’m not gonna pretend to know a whole lot about fashion. But there are some designers that are innovators, who are bold, who are in fact artists. We lost one of the greatest of this generation. [Pete Wentz]

Metric:
Oh no! RIP Alexander McQueen. [Twitter]

Good Charlotte’s Joel Madden:
R.I.P. Alexander McQueen. You were one of the best man. Always hoped to meet you.[Twitter]

Leave your thoughts and tributes to Alexander McQueen in the comment section below.